Mark Bear, who directs the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, is one of those basic scientists. He's discovered a system in the brain that could change the lives of thousands of people with the genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome.

Fragile X is a mutation on the X chromosome that can cause mental retardation and autism. Until now, there has been no treatment.

But Bear discovered that the mutation responsible for Fragile X appears to disrupt a system in the brain that regulates synapses — the connections between brain cells.

Bear and other scientists have also identified several drugs that seem to correct the problem.

The drugs have reversed most of the effects of Fragile X in mice. They are now being tried in humans. And at least one small study found that a single dose of a drug had an effect.

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Click the link at the bottom to see the whole list. I'm listing my 10 favorites here.

 In the dating world, geeks are often overlooked. However, many geeks are what you might call a diamond in the rough. Geeks make excellent boyfriends, girlfriends, and spouses. Although many of these are generalizations, we’ve found 50 reasons why geeks have a lot to offer the dating world.

1. You’ll have the most awesome home entertainment center ever: Geeks have great gadgets, so they usually have TVs, DVD players, and entertainment servers with loads of cool features.  Gotta have this for hockey. No question.
2. Geeks are passionate: A geek is someone that is obsessive or passionate about the things that interest them, including the person they are dating. My husband proves this to be very true.
3. Geeks aren’t cheaters: Your geek will be passionate about you, and tend to stay loyal. They’re also usually not socially adept enough to carry on an affair, anyway. I never worry about his loyalty. I know I am his passion.
4. Geeks are attentive: If you want someone who will dote on you and make sure that you’re always happy, a geek just might be able to give you that. True story. I might even he worships me.
5. Geeks care more about happiness than traditional status: Geeks weren’t the cool kids in school, often choosing academics over sports and other activities that would make them popular. That means that they can resist the desire to look good for others, and choose your happiness instead. He looks good but knowing he does it for me is a plus.